RompHim: Fashion Must-Have or Fashion Faux Pas

A friend of mine shared a link on Facebook of an article talking about the RompHim, which is the latest fashion craze to have come from Kickstarter. My first thought was, “How do you pee?” The next one was, “It’s a onesie for adults.”

You have to pardon my crudeness, but nowadays, we have to be practical, with our choices – be it of cars or clothing.But I thought I’d give the RompHim a chance and find out more about it.

The romper, the female version of the RompHim, is a popular style among women because it’s comfortable (they say). But I ask again, “How do you pee?” You’d have to almost take the whole thing off when you go to the restroom, and if you’re in a hurry, that’s just a waste of time.

The romper first appeared in 1900s America, as clothing for children. Parents made their children wear the romper whenever they played because they were thought to be comfortable and flexible – the perfect attire for more active play.

The target market of the RompHim is young, fashion forward men (read: men you are willing to try everything).

The designer of RompHim has modified the traditional romper by putting a zipper on the crotch so one can relieve oneself in the restroom without having to undress.

Photo by bustle.com

The RompHim may seem like a silly fashion experiment but its goal is far from silly. Women have been wearing men’s clothing since the 19th century. The female coal miners of Wigan, England would wear trousers underneath their skirts while working. They would roll up their skirt up to the waist so one could only see the trousers.

Wigan female coal miner. Photo by historyandwomen.com

Women who worked in the ranches in America also in the 19th century wore pants for the same reason – they were more practical for outdoor, physical labor.

Men have not been as experimental as women when it comes to fashion. The RompHim intends to change that by encouraging men to wear whatever they feel like wearing without thinking about what society expects of them.

Fashion has always been a great platform when it comes to breaking stereotypes and rigid societal gender roles. Perhaps the RompHim will help us be more accepting of the “other” by being that “other.”